2023-01-10

Summary

The first orbital space launch from UK soil has begun, with a jumbo jet taking off from Newquay Airport in Cornwall

The mission will see a repurposed 747 jumbo jet release a rocket over the Atlantic to take nine satellites high above the Earth

In the past, satellites produced in the UK have been sent to foreign facilities to make their journey into space

This first foray into orbital launch from UK territory is actually using an American company, Virgin Orbit, that was founded by Sir Richard Branson

The British entrepreneur had one of his old passenger airliners converted to carry a rocket, called LauncherOne, underneath its left wing

You can watch a live feed from Spaceport Cornwall at the top of this page